Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 1.djvu/129

TO 1093.]

Among the other conspirators were the Earl of Shrewsbury, William of Alderic, the king's godfather, and William, Count of En, who was related to Rufus by blood. The first bought exemption from punishment with a large sum of money—as was a common practice in those days, as well as in later times; William of Alderic was condemned to death; the Count of En appealed to the ordeal of battle, or rather, as his guilt hardly admitted of dispute, proposed